Dennis Meets Sasquatch
by WogglebugLover-AvengingAtheist
Summary: On a Summer camping trip, Dennis and Mr. Wilson have a close encounter with the legendary Sasquatch. They also learn through them the importance of environmental preservation.
1. Chapter 1

It was the first day of summer vacation and the big yellow school bus was driving down Main Street full of chattering, laughing children who were telling each other about what they were going to do over the holidays.

"My parents have agreed to send me to space camp!" happily announced P. B. Kappa.

"Wow, and I'm just going to plain old summer camp," said Tommy Anderson.

"I'm going to go visit my grandfather in Venice," said Gina Gillotti.

"I'm going to Disneyland!" happily announced Joey MacDonald.

"Man, you're so lucky!" said Jay Weldon. "What about you Dennis, where are you going?"

Dennis Mitchel, a freckle-faced seven-year-old with blonde hair and blue eyes turned toward everyone surrounding him and announced, "I am going camping with my folks."

"Where?" asked Tommy curiously.

"In the mountains in British Columbia," replied Dennis.

Tommy's eyes went wide. "Well, I sure hope you don't run into Bigfoot!"

"What Bigfoot?" asked Dennis. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" said Tommy in surprise. "Bigfoot is a monster that lives up there in the mountains."

"A monster?" Dennis echoed intrigued.

"Pay no attention, Dennis," said Margaret Wade. "There are no such things as monsters or Big-feet."

"But there are!" insisted Tommy. "Many have found the footprints of it which are three times bigger than a human's which is how he gets his name."

"Well, technically footprints have been found and photos also have been taken, but there still is not enough evidence to prove that it exists," said P. B..

"Of course not!" said Margaret. "There all just hoaxes! As I said there are no such things as Big-feet!

"Hmm... I don't know Margaret. You sure look like you have them to me!" said Dennis pointing to Margaret's feet which caused for the whole bus to break into laughter and for Margaret to grimace and clench her fists.

The school bus drove down to Elm Street and stopped in front of the Mitchel house and so Dennis quickly bounded out and was instantly greeted by his dog Ruff and they both rushed into the house.

Dennis slammed the kitchen door behind him as he called out, "I'm home!"

Dennis's mother, Alice Mitchel, dropped the dishes she washing into the sink and turned around abruptly. "Dennis Mitchel, haven't I told you not to slam the door?" she asked scolding.

"Sorry, Mom," replied Dennis. "I'll try not to do it anymore."

Meanwhile at the Wilson's house next door to the Mitchel's, George Wilson was relaxing in his old hammock which was tied between two trees and leisurely sipping on a glass of lemonade as he enjoyed the feel of the beginning of the summertime. He closed his eyes lazily and just listened to the bird's chirping melodiously and the gentle wind whispering through the trees as well as the scent of the flowers in his garden and of the barbecue that was cooking close by.

"Hey, Mr. Wilson!" called Dennis's shrill voice.

Mr. Wilson was woken up so suddenly he sat up with a start and spilled his glass of lemonade all down his front. He grimaced as he watched Dennis Mitchel bounding into his yard completely unannounced, uninvited, and unwelcome.

"Dennis!" he exclaimed irritably. "Why won't you leave me in peace once in a while?"

Dennis apparently wasn't listening. "I just came by to show you my new remote-control toy truck!" he exclaimed cheerily as he pulled a small remote controller out of his back pocket and pressed a few buttons and soon a mechanical whirring noise was heard as a large blue toy truck with red and yellow lightning stripes across the sides drove into the yard.

"Isn't it neat?" exclaimed Dennis as he pressed another button and made the truck rear up on its hind wheels.

"Oh yes, really neat-o!" replied Mr. Wilson with sarcasm.

"Watch how fast I can make it go!" exclaimed Dennis as he pressed another button on the remote controller and suddenly the truck began zooming around the yard super fast and leaving small stems of cut off grass in its wake almost like a lawn mower.

"Dennis! Turn it off before it destroys with flower beds! Quick!" cried Mr. Wilson in great alarm.

"Okay, Mr. Wilson," said Dennis and began pressing numerous buttons on the remote controller but to no avail. "Uh oh! It's stuck!"

"Stuck!?" cried Mr. Wilson in abject horror. "Oh no! My precious pansies! My prize petunias!"

And, sure enough, the truck had scurried over into the flower beds and was skidding on top of the flowers and ripping them to shreds.

"No! Oh no!" Mr. Wilson cried jumping up and down. "I've got to stop it before it gets worse!"

He raced after the truck and made a great leap and fell on top of it. He grabbed hold of it and tried to bring it up with him but it was running to fast on high speed and he ended up zooming around in zigzagging circles around his garden.

"Dennis!" he hollered as flower petals flew into his mouth and he spit them out. "Help!"

"I'm trying, Mr. Wilson! I'm trying!" Dennis exclaimed as he began pressing all of the buttons on his remote controller. This however seemed only to be making things worse as the truck with Mr. Wilson on top of it began zooming all around the yard at a faster and faster rate.

At one point the truck reared up on its hind wheels and Mr. Wilson's lower half was swung up into the air as the truck was headed in a straight line for the smoking barbecue.

"Oh no! Not my barbecue!" Mr. Wilson cried out in horror and the words were barely out of his mouth when the truck had rammed headfirst into the barbecue's standing pole and it was promptly knocked over and half cooked meat and blocks of hot coal flew everywhere.

"Dennis! Look what you've done!" Mr. Wilson hollered out as the truck suddenly flew into reverse and began spinning all around in a great circle. Then suddenly it stopped and Mr. Wilson was thrown off of it and knocked hard against the garden's fencing.

"Great! You finally got it to stop," said Mr. Wilson as he rubbed his head.

"No, I didn't," replied Dennis. "The batteries just ran down."

Mr. Wilson surveyed his ruined garden along with his ruined barbecue. "Oh... Why me? Why always me!" he wailed as he fainted on the spot.

Later, Mr. Wilson lay in his chair with a damp washcloth pressed to his forehead. "Oh why, Martha, why?" he moaned to his wife. "Why is it me Dennis is out to get? Why? Why can't it be the Johnsons across the street?"

"Now there there, George," said his kindly wife. "I think I know just what you need. A vacation! And what better time for it than now at the beginning of summer?" She picked up a travel magazine and opened it flipping through it to the page which she had her finger on. "Right here, in British Columbia. The weather and the scenery is so marvelous this time of year."

Mr. Wilson looked at the magazine which showed pictures of the mountains and lakes and woods. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt and it would be nice to be so far away from Dennis at this time of year, if even just for a short while."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day the Mitchels packed their car with the necessary items they needed for their camping trip.

"Well dear we have all of the warm clothes we'll need and lighting fluid for the campfire as well as the marshmallows, and of course our tent, fishing gear, and video camera. Do we need anything else?" asked Mr. Mitchel.

"No, Henry. We seem to have everything right here. Now let's put them in the trunk," replied Mrs. Mitchel.

So they opened their car's back hood and packed their many suitcases into it which were a tight fit.

"I hope we'll be able to fit Dennis' things in," said Mrs. Mitchel with concern. "By the way where is Dennis?"

Mr. Mitchel turned towards the front door and called out, "Dennis, are you ready yet?"

"Almost, Dad!" Dennis called back. "I just need a little help with the TV set!"

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchel looked at each other questioningly. What did Dennis want with the TV set, they were both wondering. They quickly went into the house and found the TV set unplugged and Dennis struggling to pick it up.

"Dennis, what are you doing with the TV set?" Mr. Mitchel inquired.

"I'm trying to take it out so we can take it with us, only it won't fit into my suitcase," Dennis replied still struggling with it.

"Now Dennis we can't take the TV set with us," said Mr. Mitchel. "And we won't need it either."

Dennis paused in his struggling. "We won't? But what will do for entertainment?" he asked.

"We'll have plenty of ways to entertain ourselves," replied Mr. Mitchel heartily. "We'll go hiking in the deep woods, fishing in the great lakes, and we'll all roast marshmallows and sing folk songs around the campfire. That is the whole point of this vacation. To do things away from home which we don't do at home."

"Alright Dad," said Dennis. "Here's my suitcase." He handed him his suitcase and he nearly dropped it for the weight of it.

"Dennis, what on Earth did you pack?"he asked.

"My rock collection," replied Dennis. "I'm sure to collect more rocks on our trip."

They packed Dennis' rather heavy suitcase into the back of the car. Then Dennis stood in front of it and called out, "Hey, Ruff! Here boy!"

And immediately his great sheepdog Ruff came bounding and barking up to him and licked his face before jumping into the backseat of the car.

"Okay, Dad. We're ready now," said Dennis as he climbed in beside Ruff.

"Wait a second, Dennis," said Mr. Mitchel. "We cannot take Ruff with us."

"Why not?" asked Dennis sounding crestfallen.

"Well we can't have the extra trouble on the way and on the trip," explained Mr. Mitchel.

"Aw, Ruff won't be any trouble, will you, boy? And he can watch over us while we sleep in our tent outside and keep away the monsters of the woods," Dennis protested. "Come on, Dad. Please?"

Dennis parents looked at his pleading eyes and felt unable to say no to him at this time. "Well, I guess so," Mr. Mitchel relented. "Okay, son. Now buckle up."

"Oh boy! Thanks Dad!" exclaimed Dennis as he buckled his seat-belt.

Some hours later they were driving briskly down the long road to their destination and the car was filled with the sound of Dennis' loud singing.

"_Ninety-one cans of root beer on the wall! Ninety-one cans of root beer! Take one down and pass it around! Ninety-two cans of root beer on the wall_!"

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchels ears had finally had just about enough of this song. "Son, do you think you could try singing a different song now?" Mr. Mitchel asked calmly.

"Sure, Dad," said Dennis and immediately began singing a new song. "_Old McDonald had a farm! Ee I ee I ohhh! And on this farm he had a cow! Ee I ee I ohhh! With a moo moo here, and a moo moo there! Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo_!"

Ruff soon joined in Dennis' song with barks and howls.

"_Old McDonald had a farm! Ee I ee I ohhh! And on this farm he had a dog! Ee I ee I ohhh! With a..."_

"_Ruff ruff!"_

"_Here, and a..."_

"_Ruff ruff!"_

"_There! Here a..."_

"_Ruff!"_

"_There a..."_

"_Ruff!"_

"_Everywhere a..."_

"_Ruff ruff!"_

It was many hours later when they arrived at their destination. They parked their car in a designated area and then went into the local forest ranger station to register themselves.

"Welcome to the British Columbia Mountains, folks," the forest ranger said cordially. "Just remember, no littering, no feeding of the animals here, and as my good friend Smokey says, 'only you can prevent forest fires'."

"Of course," Mr. Mitchel agreed as he signed them in.

"And before I forget, here is a brochure for all the things to see around here and also a map so you don't get lost," the forest ranger continued as he handed them the items which he took from out of his desk.

"Thanks very much," said Mr. Mitchel. "These should come in very handy."

"Do they mention where to find the monster around here?" asked Dennis curiously.

"Monster? What monster?" asked the forest ranger in confusion.

"You know, Bigfoot," said Dennis.

The forest ranger chuckled heartily as did Dennis' parents. "Bigfoot! Oh my! So you've heard about the sightings that have been reported around here!"

"Now Dennis, there is no such thing as a Bigfoot, it's just a legend," Mr. Mitchel chided.

"That's right," said the forest ranger. "And I bet all the sightings that have been reported around here are really just bears or else just hoaxes. Well, enjoy your stay."

They left the ranger station and started to head to their campsite. Then suddenly Dennis' pet frog, Willie, hopped out of Dennis' front pocket and bounded away from them.

"Willie! Come back here!" cried Dennis as he rushed after his frog with his parents trying to keep up with him.

Dennis chased his frog around the woods until he was out of breath and when he paused to catch his breath he watched Willie for a brief moment as he hopped away into a den of thick trees. Disheartened, he sat down on a tree stump and looked down at the ground.

Dennis' parents found him soon. "You lost him, huh?" said Mr. Mitchel.

Dennis just nodded sadly.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find another frog soon," Mr. Mitchel said trying to cheer him up.

"No, I won't," said Dennis. "Willie was one in a million."

"Did he by any chance look like this?" asked a low, deep voice suddenly from behind him.

Dennis looked up and over his shoulder and he saw a tall man dressed in old buckskin clothing and wearing a mountain hat with long white hair hanging out of. His face was wrinkled with brownish skin and his eyes were deep set and full of mystery. In his hands he held a small green frog which Dennis instantly recognized as being his.

"Willie! Thanks Mister! I thought I'd lost him," exclaimed Dennis as he took Willie into his hands again.

"My pleasure," replied the old man. "My name is Fer Young and I am a leader of the Salish tribe around here. I am always glad to help any visitors who come here."

"So you know about everything around here?" asked Dennis.

"Indeed I do," replied Fer Young.

"Then do you know about the monster Bigfoot who lives here?" asked Dennis eagerly.

"You must excuse Dennis, he is just a little boy," Mr. Mitchel said quickly.

"Of course," replied Fer Young. "And we do have a Bigfoot around but he is no monster and we call him and his clan the Sasquatches which means 'wild man of the woods', a name that fits them as they are they guardians of these woods and they live somewhere up near the mountains where they keep watch over everything."

"Have you ever seen a Sasquatch before?" asked Dennis.

"Yes, I have met a few on numerous occasions in my life," replied Fer Young. "When I was much younger I met a young Sasquatch and we exchanged gestures for a moment and then I gave him some of the fish I had just caught and the next day I found he had left some wild berries and fruits for me outside my door. Then a few years later while I was out fishing and almost drowned presumably the same Sasquatch came to my rescue."

"Wow! That is so cool!" exclaimed Dennis. "I'd sure like to meet a Sasquatch myself."

Fer Young smiled. "Perhaps you will. The Sasquatches are said to have mystical powers and can make themselves invisible to human eyes at will for they are very shy, but they can also look into a human soul and see if it is a pure one and if it is they may choose to reveal themselves. I believe I see a pure soul in you, Dennis, and so I'd like you to have this." He took from around his neck a thin string with a strange ruby red stone on the end of it which had a queer shape somewhat like a footprint.

"Gee, thanks," said Dennis. "What is it for?"

"I have a feeling you will find out soon enough," replied Fer Young and then he bade them goodbye and they went their separate ways.


	3. Chapter 3

The Mitchels found their camping ground and began setting it up. Dennis and his dad began putting up the tent.

"Okay, son, that's the last of them," said Mr. Mitchell as he drew the last stake into the ground and Dennis hammered it in.

They stood back to observe the tent. "Gosh, Dad, it sure is a funny looking tent," said Dennis.

Mr. Mitchell stared at the tent for a moment before the realization came to him. "Oh great!" he moaned. "We pitched it upside down! Now we'll have to do it over again."

Just then Ruff came bounding up to them and leapt into the tent barking with delight.

"Hey, it looks like Ruff is trying the tent on for size!" Dennis giggled as he watched his dog become completely wrapped up in the tent.

Then suddenly the tent sprang loose from its pitching and Ruff took off wearing it and barking like crazy.

"Ruff! Come back here!" cried Mr. Mitchell as he and Dennis chased after him.

After a while they finally managed to grab a hold of Ruff and then put up the tent again, this time they pitched it right side up.

Then they built a campfire out of sticks and stones. Then Mrs. Mitchell got out their cooking supplies and Mr. Mitchell got out their fishing gear.

"Come on, my boy, we are gonna catch us some carp!" exclaimed Mr. Mitchell heartily as he held up his fishing pole.

"I don't like carp. What is it?" asked Dennis.

Mr. Mitchell chuckled. "I mean we are gonna catch us some fish for lunch!"

"Oh boy!" exclaimed Dennis.

So Dennis and his dad went down to the lake near their camp and Mr. Mitchell opened a box of canned worms and put one through the hook on the end of his pole and threw the line to the water.

"The fish eat the worm and then we eat them? Yuck!" exclaimed Dennis in disgust. He then declined to use a worm as bait for his hook.

"What are you gonna use instead?" asked Mr. Mitchell.

"A jellybean," replied Dennis as he took a small red jellybean from his overalls pocket and put it through his fishing hook.

They sat on the bank with their fishing poles dangling into the water for a long time before suddenly Mr. Mitchell began quivering with excitement.

"Dennis, I got a bite! Eureka!" he exclaimed as he struggled to reel it in. "Wow! This must be a big one!" he cried as he stood and pulled hard on the line.

He continued to struggle to reel it in but whatever it was on the end of the pole was being very stubborn and seemed to be trying to get away. Then all of a sudden Mr. Mitchell slipped on the muddier part of the bank and fell face first into the water with his big catch swimming away with him.

"Hang on, Dad! I'll save you!" cried Dennis as he jumped headlong into the lake after them.

Dennis swam out and managed to grasp onto his dad's hand and saw that he had managed to grab onto his catch on the end of line which was an enormous trout.

They swam back to land and then dripping wet they went back to their camp and showed Mrs. Mitchell their catch and she was pleased with it but quite displeased with how wet and muddy they were.

"What on Earth happened to you two? You both look like swamp creatures!" she exclaimed.

"We had a little slip up," Mr. Mitchell said sheepishly. "But we got fresh trout for lunch today though!" he added as he held up his prize.

So then they dried off and changed into clean clothes and the cooked and ate the fish. Afterward they were all quite full and satisfied.

"Now what do you say we go on a hike to work it off?" suggested Mr. Mitchell brightly.

They all agreed to this and so Dennis picked up his jar to collect any new bugs he could find along the way and Mrs Mitchell took the video camera they had brought and they started off hiking steadily into the woods.

Dennis' parents were openly observing the nature around them while Dennis himself was mostly busy studying the ground beneath him for bugs to collect. He soon found some termites and beetles and butterflies which he put into his jar.

"Ah... just smell that fresh air!" breathed Mr. Mitchell.

"Look, Henry, there's a buck up there," said Mrs. Mitchell pointing straight, and sure enough they could see a tall antlered buck standing very still and looking in their direction in the distance between a set of trees.

"Do you see it, Dennis? Dennis?" Mr. Mitchell looked around for Dennis but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Oh no! He must have wandered off on his own," Mrs Mitchell moaned.

"Now, don't panic," said Mr. Mitchell. "We'll find him. He couldn't have gone far."

They walked through the woods calling out Dennis' name. Dennis meanwhile was chasing after a large red and pink butterfly with his jar open. Suddenly he tripped over the root of a tree and fell at full length dropping his jar and spilling out the contents. He quickly got up again and scooped up as many of the bugs he could but the butterfly he had been chasing had now flown away.

"Where am I now?" he wondered aloud. "Mom? Dad?"

Just then he heard a low soft growl which was almost like a whimper. He looked around and saw a small black bear cub crawling on all fours towards him.

"Hello there, little fella. Where did you come from?" He walked up to the bear cub and patted it gently on the head. "Where's your Mom? Are you lost? So am I. Hey, I bet your hungry, aren't you? So am I. Wait here, I'll get us something to eat."

Dennis walked a little ways until he came across a beehive that was being supported on a lower branch on an old elm tree. _This will do_, he thought as he climbed up the tree and took a slingshot out of his back pocket which he put a jellybean into the sling of and then pulled it back and shot it at the beehive.

Moments later a loud buzzing noise could be heard coming from inside of it and Dennis quickly jumped down from the branch he was sitting on and his in some nearby bushes as a swarm of yellow-jacket bees flew out of the hive. They hovered around in circles for a moment and then they flew off to the left.

Dennis breathed a sigh of relief and then climbed back up the tree and sticking his hand into the hive he pulled out a large quantity of gooey sticky honey which he put an extra jar he had in his back pocket. Then he jumped back down and went back to find the bear cub.

He found the bear cub and held the jar of honey out to it and it ate it all up in a few big slurps. Dennis giggled and said, "Would you like some more?"

Just then there was heard another deeper and louder growl off in the distance.

"Uh oh. Your Mom's calling for you," said Dennis to the bear cub.

The bear cub went off running in the direction the growl had came from and Dennis went in the other direction trying to find his own parents. Suddenly he heard a faint buzzing noise coming from somewhere around him. He looked in every direction and suddenly spotted the swarm of angry yellow-jacket bees coming back to get even with him. He immediately took off running in the opposite direction from them, looking over his shoulder he could see them following behind him.

Meanwhile, some distance away, Mr. Wilson was relaxing in his fold out chair enjoying the peaceful harmony of the sounds of nature in the great outdoors. He felt content and at one with the world in this moment for he knew that he was both far from his home and from Dennis Mitchell and therefore nothing could possibly bother or torment him.

These thoughts which he had occupied himself with were suddenly interrupted when out of nowhere he heard the unmistakable sound of a swarm of angry bees buzzing coming towards him. He opened his eyes and could see a short figure running towards him being followed by a great swarm of yellow-jackets. Suddenly he recognized the figure as being Dennis Mitchell. But it wasn't possible, was it?

He was so shocked at Dennis' appearance that he didn't move from his seat and so Dennis ran into him with full force and took the bees with him.

With Dennis and Mr. Wilson laying on top of each other entangled, the bees seized their opportunity and viciously attacked the boy and the old man, flying all around both of them and jabbing at them with their stingers.

"YEOW!" They both hollered and at once jumped off of each other and started running away like crazy.

"Quick! Into the lake!" cried Mr. Wilson pointing straight ahead at the lake before them which they both dived into and so the bees were mostly washed away in the water while some of them flew away back to their hive.

Dennis and Mr. Wilson emerged dripping wet and slightly sore from the lake. "Dennis, what on Earth are you doing here?" asked Mr. Wilson still somewhat in a state of shock.

"I'm here camping with my family," replied Dennis as he tried to shake the wetness off of himself. "Didn't we tell you?"

"N-No, you didn't," Mr. Wilson replied with his heart sinking deeply.

"Well, why didn't you tell us you were going camping here too?" asked Dennis beaming with the delight at seeing his best grown-up friend in the world here with him. "Oh boy! This is just swell! You and me are gonna have the best vacation ever!"

Just then Dennis' parents came running up to them. "Dennis! Oh thank Goodness we've found you!" exclaimed Mrs. Mitchell in great relief.

"Why, George, we didn't know you were here too," said Mr. Mitchell to Mr. Wilson.

Minutes later, the Mitchells and the Wilsons were all gathered around the Mitchels campfire with Dennis and Mr. Wilson wrapped up snugly in thick woolen blankets.

"We had no idea you were also coming here to vacation," said. Mrs. Wilson. "If we had known we would have joined you from the very first.

"Well, now I suppose we might just as well join each other," said Mr. Mitchell cheerily.

Mr. Wilson shivered inside his blanket. He felt this wasn't going to be the vacation he had hoped for.


	4. Chapter 4

That night the Mitchels and the Wilsons toasted marshmallows around the campfire and told spooky ghost stories. They then all settled into their sleeping bags in their respective tents and went to sleep for the night.

The next day as the dawn was approaching Dennis stirred in his sleeping bag. He could hear the sound of something moving around outside of the tent. He opened his eyes and sat up and for a brief moment he caught a glimpse of the shadow of something sprinting across the tent on the outside.

Feeling suddenly very curious, Dennis crawled out of his sleeping bag and crept quietly to the opening of the tent and peered outside of it. He heard a faint rustling sound and then saw a flash of movement through the bushes close by.

More curious than before, he picked up his flashlight and headed out of the tent. He shined the flashlight all around the area but could see nothing unusual around. Then suddenly off in the distance he heard a long high-pitched noise which sounded somewhere between a howl and a wail and it sent tingles through his spine. He felt he just had to find out what made it and so he headed into the direction which he thought he'd heard the sound coming from.

He passed through through thick underbrush along the way of many dense trees. The further along he went the lighter the sky became till it was a very pale blue tinged with pink around the edges. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when he suddenly heard the loud wailing again coming from behind him.

He turned around and saw a brief rustling in the bushes like before. He crept cautiously up to the bushes and pulled them back but could see nothing hiding behind them. Then he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him and turned around and looked through them but once again found nothing in them. Then he heard a shaking sound in the bushes to his right, and once again when he went to check through them he found nothing in them whatsoever.

Slightly annoyed now, he stood in the center of the grove and spoke out loud. "Alright already! This game has gone on long enough! I demand for you to show yourself, whatever you are. Are you a man... or a monster?"

Now he heard a light whimpering noise coming from behind a tree close to him. He turned toward it and found something with dark brown hair was trembling in the bush beside it. He reached out and started to push away the bush's leaves but almost as soon as he did they were pulled back .

He realized that the creature hiding inside the bush was more afraid of him than he was of it and it was only as big as he was. "Aw, come on out," he said in a friendly manner. "I won't hurt you, I want to be your friend."

Then suddenly he saw the glint of two red glowing eyes peeking out of the bush. He blinked and then next he saw two shiny black eyes looking at him as there emerged from the bush a short stocky ape-like creature on two legs with long arms and large flat feet with a strangely human-like face and expression on it.

Dennis suddenly felt something warm against his chest. He looked down and saw to his amazement the red stone on the string around his neck had started glowing. Before he had time to wonder about this he heard an eerie quiet voice speak to him.

"Hello," it said. "Are you a human being?"

Dennis blinked as he looked up at the hairy creature in front of him which he saw was looking at him questioningly and so he figured it must have been it that had spoken to him.

"Uh... Yes, I am," he replied. "And what are you, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I am a Sasquatch," it replied.

"Wow! A real-live Sasquatch!" Dennis exclaimed. "Jeepers, you're a lot shorter than I thought you'd be."

"That is because I am only seven and a half years old," replied the Sasquatch.

"So am I," replied Dennis cordially. "My name is Dennis. Would you like a jellybean?" he asked as he took from his pocket a yellow piece of candy and held it out to the little Sasquatch.

"Thank you," he heard it say as it took it into its hair covered hand and put it into its mouth and then seemed to swallow it whole.

"These are good," said the Sasquatch. "Have you got more?"

"I sure do, lots of 'em," replied Dennis as he took four more jellybeans out of his pocket and handed them to the Sasquatch.

The Sasquatch took the four jellybeans into its hand and then swallowed them all in one gulp. Then it let out a tiny burp. Dennis giggled.

"Will you be my friend?" asked the Sasquatch.

"I guess I might as well be," said Dennis pleasantly.

The little Sasquatch smiled a large toothy smile. "Will you come home with me?" he asked eagerly.

"You mean to meet your family?" asked Dennis.

"Yes, they will be ever so pleased to meet you," asserted the little Sasquatch.

"Okay then," said Dennis. "Lead the way, buddy."

So then the young Sasquatch took Dennis eagerly by the hand and led him briskly through the woods. They went on until they came to a big wide clearing in which their were great stone moss covered caves on all sides and a rushing river could be heard somewhere behind them.

"This is a cool place," said Dennis. "Where's your family?"

The young Sasquatch looked straight up at the sky and let a long whistle with a very unusually high pitch. Dennis in his surprise looked up at the sky with him and when he looked down again he saw to his astonishment about five other Sasquatches in front of him. They all looked exactly like the little Sasquatch except they were all much bigger ranging from five to nine feet tall and two of them had protruding breasts which let him know they were females.

The little Sasquatch rushed up to the two tallest ones exclaiming, "Mama! Papa! I brought home a human being! Aren't you proud of me?"

Then Dennis watched as all the Sasquatches big and small gathered around close to each other and began chattering incorrigibly. He was only able to make out a few words from the biggest one who was apparently the family patron as he said, "Good job, my son," to the youngest Sasquatch.

Then the Sasquatch family made themselves separate from each other again and the biggest one came slowly up to Dennis and he now felt suddenly self-conscious as the eyes of the fatherly Sasquatch seemed to bore right into him.

"Welcome, young Dennis, to our humble home," he said in a deep mighty baritone voice. "Your willingness to come here surprises me for it is unusual in most cases.

"What do you mean?" asked Dennis.

"We have a family tradition that a young member of our tribe when he is old enough must meet with a human-being and bring him home with him and usually the human doesn't want to come so they must be carried here," explained the Sasquatch father. "But you have not only come of your own free will but have made communication with my youngest son, and now I see it is because you wear around your neck a tiny piece of the Stone of the Ancients."

Dennis held up the stone hanging by the string around his neck which was glowing as much as ever. "This? But how?" he inquired curiously.

"It is but a tiny piece of a much bigger stone which lays buried deep within one of our caves. It is possessed with the power to bring about the telepathic understanding of our language to all who touch it, but only if they be pure of heart," the father Sasquatch explained.

"But why is most of the stone buried if it is so special?" asked Dennis. "And how come I have a little bit of it?"

"It stays hidden because we are very wary of human beings," the father Sasquatch told him. "For although we do share their lineage, going back to the very beginning of time, we know they will regard us hostilely as freaks of nature for we are, as you can probably see, half animal and half human. Though of course that doesn't mean we don't have feelings like they do and so sometimes we get curious about them just as they are curious about us and so at one time our ancients chipped off a few small pieces of the stone and scattered them about to be found by any who could find them. Tell me how did you find yours?"

"It was given to me by an old Indian guy named Fer Young," replied Dennis.

"Oh yes, Fer Young," said the father Sasquatch warmly. "I know him for he was once very kind to me and I felt greatly obliged to return his kindness and so I did in every way I could. You being here has more importance than just our family tradition," he went on. "For we are now in a time of crisis and must turn to a human we can trust for assistance, such as you."

"Me? How can I assist you?" asked Dennis. "What is your problem?"

"Come with me, my young friend," replied the father Sasquatch.

Dennis followed him as he led him over rocky gorges across the river and then they stopped and looked down into a valley which they could see was mostly filled with fallen logs and tree stumps.

"Jeepers!" exclaimed Dennis. "What happened down here?"

"This was the work of careless and ignorant human beings, unlike you," gravely replied the father Sasquatch. "The forest is being cut down tree by tree, more and more with each passing year and eventually our homes will be revealed because of it and our lives shall be threatened by it."

"Jeepers! Someone should stop them from doing it!" cried Dennis with urgency.

"Yes, and that someone must be you," replied the father Sasquatch.

"Me? But what can I do? I'm just a kid," replied Dennis. "I mean, what am I gonna say to them, 'you've gotta stop cutting down the trees because they belong to the Sasquatches who live up here'? They would never believe me. Why don't you just come out into the open and tell them yourselves?"

"Because, as I said, we cannot communicate with those who's hearts closed and not pure. They would just be afraid of us and run, they may also fire their weapons at us although they have little effect on us."

"There must be some way to make them believe in you without putting you in danger," Dennis said determinedly. He thought for a few moments and then spoke up brightly. "There is! And I know someone else who can help us do it too."

"You do? Tell me who is he, and is he pure of heart as well?" asked the father Sasquatch.

"He sure is," replied Dennis. "He is my best friend in the whole world. His name is George Wilson."

"Where is he?" inquired the father Sasquatch.

"He's back at my camp, and probably still asleep," replied Dennis.

"Alright. We'll go get him and bring him here then," replied the father Sasquatch.


	5. Chapter 5

Mr. Wilson was laying in a peaceful slumber in his sleeping bag and snoring loudly when Dennis and the father Sasquatch came upon him at the campground. He was now having a very pleasant dream which unknown to him was just about to turn into a nightmare.

"There he is," Dennis whispered to the father Sasquatch. "Mr. Wilson. Right over there."

"Hmm... He looks to be very large and very hairless for a human," said the father Sasquatch thoughtfully. "Are you sure this plan of yours will work with him?"

"Sure I'm sure," replied Dennis. "It just has to work, and Mr. Wilson will do anything we ask him because he's my best friend in the whole world."

"In that case I see no choice for me but to trust you," replied the father Sasquatch with resignation.

Then the father Sasquatch came over to Mr. Wilson wrapped in his sleeping bag, bent down slightly and picked him up in his mighty arms then turned and began to carry him away as he and Dennis had back to the Sasquatch's dwelling.

Mr. Wilson stirred slightly in his sleeping bag which the father Sasquatch was carrying him away in. He had the unmistakable feeling that someone, or something, was carrying him away. He couldn't see much from the position he was in but he glanced downward and saw two big, long, flat and hairy feet walking swiftly along the ground. He then glanced upward and caught a glimpse of a face covered mostly with hair and shiny black eyes. If he didn't know better he'd think he was being kidnapped by a Sasquatch. But that couldn't be. Sasquatches weren't real, were they? He wondered if perhaps he was still asleep in a dream, but he could feel the chill of the air against his face and knew it couldn't be a dream.

It seemed an hour had passed and Mr. Wilson could still feel himself being bumped around in his sleeping bag by whatever monster was carrying him. He had thought a dozen times about yelling out or trying to free himself from his captor's grasp. But he had no one to call to and nowhere to run for he didn't know where they were going and thus how to make it safely back to camp.

Mr. Wilson felt his weight shift and knew that the thing that was carrying him was now making its way up a steep hill and he could hear it breathing harder. When it stopped climbing, the creature put him down on the ground.

He slowly crawled out of his sleeping bag and observed the ones surrounding him. There before him stood six tall hairy figures that were too apelike to be human but too human-like to be apes, and they all had large red glowing eyes that seemed to be staring right through him. The sight render him paralyzed with fear and he sat still unable to move until he suddenly saw a familiar yet not much more welcome sight. Dennis Mitchell was standing in the middle of the family of humanoids and was smiling at him as though there was nothing out of the ordinary going on.

The tallest of the hairy humanoids began chattering with completely incomprehensible speech which only further added to his agitation.

"I see he has a good heart," the father Sasquatch said to Dennis. "It is like a diamond in the rough."

After a while Mr. Wilson was able to find his voice again. "Well, Dennis, I see you're also a prisoner of these monsters.

Dennis laughed. "These aren't monsters, Mr. Wilson. They're Sasquatches. And you and I aren't their prisoners, we're their friends."

"Sasquatches? Why, there's no such things," declared Mr. Wilson furtively.

Dennis laughed again. "Yes, there are, Mr. Wilson. They're right in front of us. Don't you see them?"

Mr. Wilson looked again at the hairy creatures surrounding him and he suddenly realized that indeed Sasquatches were the only logical things they could be, and he had heard tales of Sasquatches being seen in this part of the country in the past. Though knowing this did little to ease his consternation.

"Well, why have they kidnapped us? What do they want from us?" he asked.

"They didn't kidnap me," replied Dennis. "I came with them because I wanted to. We brought you here so you can help them save their home."

"Save their home? But how on Earth can I do that?" demanded Mr. Wilson. "Why does their home need to be saved anyway?"

"A lumber crew has been cutting down too many of their trees which help to keep them concealed from the eyes of intruders," explained Dennis. "And they need for someone to talk to them and tell them to stop."

"But why does it have to be me?" asked Mr. Wilson. "Why can't they just go and talk to them themselves?"

"Because us humans can't understand their language without a piece of this magic stone," here Dennis held up the stone on the string around his neck. "And they are too afraid of being seen.

"I see. But why can't you talk to them yourself?" Mr. Wilson questioned.

"They would never believe because I'm just a kid," replied Dennis.

"But I don't see how I'd have much better luck in them believing me, either," said Mr. Wilson.

"But they will, they've got to," insisted Dennis.

"Why?" demanded Mr. Wilson.

"Because you will be the voice of the Sasquatches," said Dennis simply.

"I'll be the what?" Mr. Wilson asked in puzzlement.

"You'll be the voice of the Sasquatches," Dennis repeated.

"But how?" inquired Mr. Wilson.

"Have you read that book by Dr. Seuss called _The Lorax_? The Lorax spoke for the trees because the trees couldn't speak for themselves when the forest was being cut down. That is what you are going to do."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I still don't understand how I can speak for them and get the lumber workers to believe me," Mr. Wilson admitted.

"It's very simple," said Dennis. "The father Sasquatch, that's him right here, will be in front of them while you'll be behind him and he will move his mouth while you speak."

"But how will they not figure out its me talking and think the thing is a hoax?" asked Mr. Wilson, still not convinced.

"They won't," replied Dennis easily. "Not if you use the voice that you always use when you tell me to go home."

"Dennis, this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of!" Mr. Wilson exclaimed.

"There, you see? You sound just like a Sasquatch growling," said Dennis impressed.

"Dennis, I won't do this crazy thing! Forget it!" Mr. Wilson declared loudly. "I'm out of here!"

He started to run away back in the direction he supposed he'd come from. Then suddenly he stopped as he felt the father Sasquatch grab by the hem of his left shoulder with his mighty hand. He felt stunned as he was lifted up off of the ground and turned towards the face of the father Sasquatch with its intimidating expression.

"Come on, Mr. Wilson," pleaded Dennis. "Haven't you always cared about wildlife and said we should save our endangered species? And if you don't help the Sasquatches they will most likely become one of the endangered species.

Mr. Wilson turned to look at Dennis after he had been looking at the intense stare of the father Sasquatch. "Well, now it seems like I don't have much of a choice, does it," he said dejectedly.

"Alright! I knew you'd agree, Mr Wilson!" exclaimed Dennis happily. "You sure are the best friend ever!"

"Well, I'll do this for you but I may hate myself for it tomorrow," Mr. Wilson groaned just before the father Sasquatch turned him loose and dropped him onto the ground again.

Just then they heard three sets of footsteps come running up the path. Then out of the trees Mr. And Mrs. Mitchell appeared along with Mrs. Wilson.

"There you, are Dennis Mitchell," cried Mrs. Mitchell. "What have we told you about wandering off, young man?"

"I could say the same for you, George Wilson," Mrs. Wilson added.

"Hi Mom, Dad, and Mrs. Wilson," Dennis said cheerily. "I'd like you all to meet our new friends, the Sasquatches."

Then suddenly they noticed the Sasquatches surrounding them. Mrs. Mitchell gasped and promptly fainted, being caught in the arms of her husband.

"Jeepers, there's no reason to be afraid of them," Dennis told them. "They're very friendly. But they are in danger and Mr. Wilson here is about to become their hero."

"Please don't mention it, Dennis," begged Mr. Wilson.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you ready for your big performance, Mr. Wilson," asked Dennis.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," he replied. "But how am I gonna know the right things to say to them that will get them to listen?"

Then once again he heard the father Sasquatch chattering in the language which was completely unknown to him.

Dennis took off the ruby foot shaped stone on the string around his neck. "Here, he says you should wear this," he said as he handed it over to Mr. Wilson.

* * *

"Timber!" cried a member of the lumbering crew as yet another tree they had cut through fell to the ground.

"You don't have to say that every single time, you know?" said a crew mate.

"I know. But it's fun," he replied.

"Well, do you think that's all for today?" another worker asked their captain as the fallen tree was being loaded into their truck.

"I guess so," replied the captain. "It looks like we've cleared out nearly half of the area now. Good job, boys."

So the workers began to pack up and leave the area, but just before they could they suddenly heard a loud, deep, gruff voice ring out from somewhere above them at the top of the cliff beneath the woodland.

"Stop right where you are!" it said.

All of the workers stopped in their tracks and stood frozen with apprehension, and some with fear. One of them boldly called out, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

They then heard heavy footsteps approaching and watched in astonishment as the tallest and hairiest creature they had ever seen walking on two legs strode out from the woods and stood directly before them.

"I am called Sasquatch," it said to them, "and I watch over these woods. You need not fear me as I do not intend to harm you but I have to let you know I am displeased with your destruction of the forest."

"We are just doing our job," said one of the workers. "We were commissioned to clear away this area around here to make room for new roadways and housing development."

"Then I suggest that you find another area to build them on, a place that is further away from the home of my tribe and family."

"But then we might lose our jobs," a worker protested.

"But if you continue to cut down the trees which help keep our homes a secret our very existence could be endangered," the father Sasquatch continued. "We are among the most sacred creatures who inhabit the Earth and we wish to live comfortably and as we always have and do not want to become hunted or captivated in zoos. We have human in us, and if you have any human in you too you must hear me out and preserve our homes and our lives."

As the father Sasquatch spoke the workers saw his eyes flashing briefly from shiny black to glowing red and they felt as if he could see into their souls and likewise they felt compelled to look inside themselves.

"We understand your needs, we really do," said their captain. "Most of us here have families we support as well. We will do whatever we can to stop your homes from being destroyed."

"You must speak first to your chiefs and then to the rest of the world and speak out against the discrimination of wildlife, and see that new trees are planted in the place of those that have been cut down without nature's consent. But never reveal that you have seen us for as I have said we are sacred creatures and simply hate recognition," the father Sasquatch said to them.

"We will do just as you say," the captain said, and all the other workers voiced their agreement.

"I thank you for your consideration," said the father Sasquatch.

Then the lumber workers got into their vehicles and drove away. The father Sasquatch watched them until they were out of sight and then he turned around to face his human friends, the Mitchels and the Wilsons.

"Thank you, good humans," he said to them. "You have surely saved our homes and have heightened my understanding that there are still people with good souls in this world and that some only need to reasoned with to be made to understand."

"Hey, it was no problem," said Dennis. "You really gave a stellar performance, Mr. Wilson," he added to his best friend.

"You sure did," added Mrs. Wilson. "I'm proud of you, George."

"I'll just be glad if I never have to play puppeteer to a Sasquatch ever again!" Mr. Wilson exclaimed.

Everyone laughed good-naturedly.

"You know, I think it's time we head back to camp," said Mr. Mitchell. "Care to join us?" he asked the Sasquatches.

"It is highly unusual for me and my family to be invited into the affairs of human beings," admitted the father Sasquatch. "But in this case we'll make an exception."

So they all went back to the camping ground and together they all had a regular camping party. They showed the Sasquatches how they caught fish with poles and the Sasquatches showed them how they caught fishing using their hands. Then once they'd all eaten they showed the Sasquatches some of their games like charades and hide and seek and the Sasquatches in turn showed them some of their games such as jump the fire and log-rolling.

Then Dennis showed his headphones to the junior Sasquatch and he put them on and listened to rock music in them and started dancing a dance to it that was so catchy everyone, human and Sasquatch, began to dance it with him.

One week later the Mitchels and Wilsons cleaned up their campground and packed away their things to back home. They all bid the Sasquatches a heartfelt goodbye.

"We're all gonna miss you," the father Sasquatch said to them. "We hope you will come back again someday."

"We will," Dennis promised them. "We'll come back every Summer. And when I grow up I'm going to join the Animal Rights Organization to help keep you and your homes safe."


End file.
